Freestyle Dining Compared

The so-called freestyle dining revolution continues – although most people who’ve never taken a cruise have visions of the formal dining room with the set eating time, that’s becoming increasingly rare. Now you have many dining rooms where you can eat when you like and where you want, as well as kiosks and al fresco dining.

Norwegian Cruise Lines started the freestyle approach, and it’s offered by all their ships on all cruises. Holland America and Princess both have some flexible evening dining choices, although lunch and breakfast are more formal, and Royal Caribbean has begun to test the process by offering a flexible dining option for evening meals on three ships, while Carnival has been trying this on two, Liberty and Legend. Royal Caribbean is going ahead with freestyle dining on all ships from the end of this year, while Carnival hasn’t decided whether to extend its programme yet. Fred Olsen still has formal dining, as does Cunard.